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New Living Translation

1 Samuel 25:31

don't let this be a blemish on your record. Then your conscience won't have to bear the staggering burden of needless bloodshed and vengeance. And when the Lord has done these great things for you, please remember me, your servant!"

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Decision;   Diplomacy;   Fig;   Intercession;   Nabal;   Obsequiousness;   Prudence;   Tact;   Wife;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Prudence;   Revenge;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Samuel;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Abigail;   Carmel;   Wife;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Prayer;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Offence;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Carmel;   Heart;   Maid, Maiden;   Samuel, Books of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - David;   Gift, Giving;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Handmaid;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Abigail ;   Carmel ;   Handmaid, Handmaiden;   Nabal ;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Abigail;   Nabal;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Cause;   Grief;   Handmaid;   Heart;   Offence;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Abigail;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
there will not be remorse or a troubled conscience for my lord because of needless bloodshed or my lord’s revenge. And when the Lord does good things for my lord, may you remember me your servant.”
Hebrew Names Version
that this shall be no grief to you, nor offense of heart to my lord, either that you have shed blood without cause, or that my lord has avenged himself. When the LORD shall have dealt well with my lord, then remember your handmaid.
King James Version
That this shall be no grief unto thee, nor offence of heart unto my lord, either that thou hast shed blood causeless, or that my lord hath avenged himself: but when the Lord shall have dealt well with my lord, then remember thine handmaid.
Lexham English Bible
then this will not be an obstacle for you or a stumbling block of conscience for my lord either by the shedding of blood without cause or by my lord taking matters into his own hands. And when Yahweh does good to my lord, then remember your female servant."
English Standard Version
my lord shall have no cause of grief or pangs of conscience for having shed blood without cause or for my lord working salvation himself. And when the Lord has dealt well with my lord, then remember your servant."
New Century Version
Then you won't feel guilty or troubled because you killed innocent people and punished them. Please remember me when the Lord brings you success."
New English Translation
Your conscience will not be overwhelmed with guilt for having poured out innocent blood and for having taken matters into your own hands. When the Lord has granted my lord success, please remember your servant."
Amplified Bible
that this [incident] will not cause grief or [bring] a troubled conscience to my lord, both by having shed blood without cause and by my lord having avenged himself. When the LORD deals well with my lord, then remember [with favor] your maidservant."
New American Standard Bible
this will not become an obstacle to you, or a troubled heart to my lord, both by having shed blood without cause and by my lord's having avenged himself. When the LORD deals well with my lord, then remember your slave."
Geneva Bible (1587)
Then shall it be no griefe vnto thee, nor offence of minde vnto my lord, that he hath not shed blood causelesse, nor that my lorde hath not preserued him selfe: and when the Lorde shall haue dealt well with my lorde, remember thine handmaide.
Legacy Standard Bible
then this will not cause stumbling or a troubled heart to my lord, both by having shed blood without cause and by my lord having saved himself. When Yahweh deals well with my lord, then remember your maidservant."
Contemporary English Version
and now your conscience will be clear, because you won't be guilty of taking revenge and killing innocent people. When the Lord does all those good things for you, please remember me.
Complete Jewish Bible
what happens here will not have become an obstacle to you or a cause for remorse to my lord, neither that you shed blood without cause nor that my lord took vengeance into his own hands. Finally, when Adonai has dealt well with my lord, then remember your servant."
Darby Translation
that this shall be no stumbling-block to thee, nor offence of heart for my lord, either that thou hast shed blood without cause, or that my lord has avenged himself. And when Jehovah shall deal well with my lord, then remember thy handmaid.
Easy-to-Read Version
So don't do anything that would make you guilty of killing innocent people. Please don't fall into that trap. Please remember me when the Lord blesses you."
George Lamsa Translation
That this shall not be a grief to you, nor an offence in your heart, to shed blood without cause; and when the LORD shall have dealt well with you, then remember your handmaid.
Good News Translation
then you will not have to feel regret or remorse, sir, for having killed without cause or for having taken your own revenge. And when the Lord has blessed you, sir, please do not forget me."
Literal Translation
that this shall not be for a cause of staggering, or of stumbling of heart to my lord, either to shed blood for nothing, or that my lord saved himself. And may Jehovah do good to my lord, and you remember your handmaid.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
then shal it be no stomblinge blocke ner occasiion of fallynge vnto my lordes hert, that thou hast not shed bloude without a cause, and auenged thy selfe, then shal ye LORDE do good vnto my lorde, and thou shalt thynke vpon thy handmayden.
American Standard Version
that this shall be no grief unto thee, nor offence of heart unto my lord, either that thou hast shed blood without cause, or that my lord hath avenged himself. And when Jehovah shall have dealt well with my lord, then remember thy handmaid.
Bible in Basic English
Then you will have no cause for grief, and my lord's heart will not be troubled because you have taken life without cause and have yourself given punishment for your wrongs: and when the Lord has been good to you, then give a thought to your servant.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Then shall it be no griefe vnto thee, nor offence of mynde vnto my lorde, that thou hast not shed blood causelesse, and that my lord hath not auenged him selfe: But when the Lorde shall haue dealt well with my lord, then thinke on thyne handmayde.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
that this shall be no stumbling-block unto thee, nor offence of heart unto my lord, either that thou hast shed blood without cause, or that my lord hath found redress for himself. And when the LORD shall have dealt well with my lord, then remember thy handmaid.'
King James Version (1611)
That this shall bee no griefe vnto thee, nor offence of heart vnto my lord, either that thou hast shed blood causelesse, or that my lord hath auenged himselfe: But when the Lord shall haue dealt well with my lord, then remember thine handmayd.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
then this shall not be an abomination and offence to my lord, to have shed innocent blood without cause, and for my lord to have avenged himself: and so may the Lord do good to my lord, and thou shalt remember thine handmaid to do her good.
English Revised Version
that this shall be no grief unto thee, nor offence of heart unto my lord, either that thou hast shed blood causeless, or that my lord hath avenged himself: and when the LORD shall have dealt well with my lord, then remember thine handmaid.
Berean Standard Bible
then my lord will have no remorse or guilt of conscience over needless bloodshed and revenge. And when the LORD has dealt well with my lord, may you remember your maidservant."
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
this schal not be in to siyyng and in to doute of herte to thee, my lord, that thou hast sched out giltles blood, ether that thou hast vengid thee. And whanne the Lord hath do wel to thee, my lord, thou schalt haue mynde on thin handmaide, and thou schalt do wel to hir.
Young's Literal Translation
that this is not to thee for a stumbling-block, and for an offence of heart to my lord -- either to shed blood for nought, or my lord's restraining himself; and Jehovah hath done good to my lord, and thou hast remembered thy handmaid.'
Update Bible Version
that this shall be no grief to you, nor offense of heart to my lord, either that you have shed blood without cause, or that my lord has avenged himself. And when Yahweh shall have dealt well with my lord, then remember your slave.
Webster's Bible Translation
That this will be no grief to thee, nor offense of heart to my lord, either that thou hast shed blood without cause, or that my lord hath avenged himself: but when the LORD shall have dealt well with my lord, then remember thy handmaid.
World English Bible
that this shall be no grief to you, nor offense of heart to my lord, either that you have shed blood without cause, or that my lord has avenged himself. When Yahweh shall have dealt well with my lord, then remember your handmaid.
New King James Version
that this will be no grief to you, nor offense of heart to my lord, either that you have shed blood without cause, or that my lord has avenged himself. But when the LORD has dealt well with my lord, then remember your maidservant."
New Life Bible
Then my lord will have no reason to feel sorry or guilty because of killing without cause or punishing by my lord's own hand. When the Lord does good things for my lord, remember your woman servant."
New Revised Standard
my lord shall have no cause of grief, or pangs of conscience, for having shed blood without cause or for having saved himself. And when the Lord has dealt well with my lord, then remember your servant."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
then shall this not become to thee a staggering and stumbling of heart, unto my lord - that thou didst either shed blood without need, or that the hand of my lord saved himself. And, when Yahweh hath dealt well with my lord, then remember thou thy handmaid.
Douay-Rheims Bible
This shall not be an occasion of grief to thee, and a scruple of heart to my lord, that thou hast shed innocent blood, or hast revenged thyself: and when the Lord shall have done well by my lord, thou shalt remember thy handmaid.
Revised Standard Version
my lord shall have no cause of grief, or pangs of conscience, for having shed blood without cause or for my lord taking vengeance himself. And when the LORD has dealt well with my lord, then remember your handmaid."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
this will not cause grief or a troubled heart to my lord, both by having shed blood without cause and by my lord having avenged himself. When the LORD deals well with my lord, then remember your maidservant."

Contextual Overview

18 Abigail wasted no time. She quickly gathered 200 loaves of bread, two wineskins full of wine, five sheep that had been slaughtered, nearly a bushel of roasted grain, 100 clusters of raisins, and 200 fig cakes. She packed them on donkeys 19 and said to her servants, "Go on ahead. I will follow you shortly." But she didn't tell her husband Nabal what she was doing. 20 As she was riding her donkey into a mountain ravine, she saw David and his men coming toward her. 21 David had just been saying, "A lot of good it did to help this fellow. We protected his flocks in the wilderness, and nothing he owned was lost or stolen. But he has repaid me evil for good. 22 May God strike me and kill me if even one man of his household is still alive tomorrow morning!" 23 When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off her donkey and bowed low before him. 24 She fell at his feet and said, "I accept all blame in this matter, my lord. Please listen to what I have to say. 25 I know Nabal is a wicked and ill-tempered man; please don't pay any attention to him. He is a fool, just as his name suggests. But I never even saw the young men you sent. 26 "Now, my lord, as surely as the Lord lives and you yourself live, since the Lord has kept you from murdering and taking vengeance into your own hands, let all your enemies and those who try to harm you be as cursed as Nabal is. 27 And here is a present that I, your servant, have brought to you and your young men.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

grief: Heb. staggering, or, stumbling, Proverbs 5:12, Proverbs 5:13, Romans 14:21, 2 Corinthians 1:12

avenged: 1 Samuel 25:33, 1 Samuel 24:15, 1 Samuel 26:23, 2 Samuel 22:48, Psalms 94:1, Romans 12:19

remember: 1 Samuel 25:40, Genesis 40:14, Luke 23:42

Reciprocal: Psalms 141:5 - the righteous Proverbs 25:12 - a wise Matthew 5:39 - That

Gill's Notes on the Bible

This shall be no grief unto thee, nor offence of heart unto my lord,.... It would give him no trouble, nor distress of mind, or sit uneasy on his conscience:

either that thou hast shed blood causeless, or that my lord hath avenged himself; which she suggests it might do, if he had shed the blood of Nabal's family, his children and servants, who were no ways concerned with him in his rudeness and ingratitude; or had avenged himself on him for the same, by taking away his life, which such crimes, however great and aggravated, did not deserve; but, on the contrary, it would be a satisfaction and pleasure to him to reflect upon it, that he had passed over such an offence, and shed no blood on account of it:

but when the Lord shall have dealt well with my lord; by delivering him out of the hands of all his enemies, and have raised him to, and settled him on the throne of Israel, of which she made no doubt:

then remember thine handmaid; the advice she gave not to shed blood, and take vengeance, for which he would then be thankful, and gratefully remember: some, as Ben Gersom, think she said this under a spirit of prophecy, that Nabal should die quickly, and she should be David's wife; but rather her meaning is, that when he should be king, and she should apply to him on any account, to have justice done her, and to be assisted and relieved when oppressed, that he would then remember her, and show her favour.


 
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